IIT-Madras Pravartak becomes India's first lab to get telecom dept's nod to test 5G core network

New Delhi, Oct 6 (PTI) The Telecom Security Testing Lab (TSTL) of the IIT-Madras Pravartak Technologies Foundation has become the first laboratory in the country authorised by the Centre's Department of Telecommunications to test 5G core-network function, Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) and 5G Group-I devices, officials said.

The certification empowers the laboratory to conduct cutting-edge security assessments of 5G mobile-telecom equipment, enabling rapid deployment of secure and resilient 5G infrastructure across the country.

The TSTL obtained the landmark certification from the National Centre for Communication Security (NCSS) to test AMF and 5G Group-I devices, covering 21 vital core-network functions under common security requirements.

The NCCS has been mandated to operationalise the framework of security testing and certification for telecom and ICT products in India under a scheme called the Communication Security Certification Scheme (ComSec), which falls under the broader Mandatory Testing and Certification of Telecom Equipment (MTCTE) rules.

"This certification reduces our dependency on foreign testing laboratories, thereby strengthening national security and promoting indigenous technological capabilities. By bridging academia and industry, the certified TSTL enhances collaborative research and innovation, empowering IIT-Madras Pravartak to actively contribute to developing secure telecom solutions tailored specifically to meet India's strategic requirements," IITM Director V Kamakoti said.

Pravartak Technologies is a company registered under section 8 of the Indian Companies Act, housing a technology-innovation hub on sensors, networking, actuators and control systems.

MJ Shankar Raman, CEO, IITM Pravartak Technologies Foundation, informed that the TSTL's certification represents a significant validation of India's capability in robust and secure telecommunications infrastructure.

"This is the first lab in India authorised to test 5G core-network function -- Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) and 5G Group-I devices, which cover 21 core-network functions under common security requirements. This certification underscores the lab's critical role in ensuring the security and resilience of telecom networks by rigorous security testing and evaluating telecom equipment against the Indian Telecom Security Standard Requirement (ITSAR)," Raman said. PTI GJS RC